Cortona | Must-see places

The church of Santa Margherita

The ancient door of Porta Berarda

The Basilica of Santa Margherita is dedicated to the patron Saint of Cortona “Santa Margherita” and it is located on the top of the hill. Margherita had a peculiar story. At the age of 17 she felt in love with a young man, called Arsenio. From this union a baby was born, but outside of marriage. This was a strange and awful situation in the Middle Age. In 1273, during a hunting trip, Arsenio was killed, and she was repudiated by his family. So, she was all alone with a baby, and the best solution is to retire to a convent. She came to Cortona, and entered in the city through Porta Berarda, a door that is still visible nowadays. She was hosted by the Franciscan friars of the monastery of San Francesco. On that place she also founded the hospital (that had been working until about 30 years ago). When the Saint dead, the 22nd of February 1297, the people who lived in Cortona decided to build a church dedicated to her, next to the ancient little church of San Basilio, that Margherita restored after choosing it as place of penance and prayer. She loved this isolated place, near Cortona, where it is possible to see all the Valdichiana. The works for the construction of the church began in 1297, but they finished in 1304. The church has undergone many changes during the ages. The present building is the result of the nineteenth century reconstruction. From the original medieval church remained only the rose window in the façade, the bell tower and the external wall of the choir. People of Cortona and of Val di Chiana celebrate Santa Margherita on the 22nd of February of each year. From the church of Santa Margherita, you can admire all the landscape with a 360°degree view on the beautiful Val di Chiana.

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The church of Santa Margherita